A lightweight matchup between former champion Anthony Pettis and Michael Chiesa is close to being finalized for UFC 223 on April 7.
Both sides have verbally agreed to the bout, according to sources. The UFC 223 pay-per-view event will take place inside Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Pettis (20-7) is looking to rebuild momentum. The 30-year-old lightweight was once considered one of the best fighters in the world, but has struggled to a 2-5 record since 2015.
Fighting out of Milwaukee, Pettis is coming off a submission loss to Dustin Poirier in November.
Chiesa (14-3) made only one appearance in 2017 due to injury. He suffered a submission loss to Kevin Lee in June. Chiesa appealed the result of that fight based on a referee error, but that appeal was denied.
The Washington native had won three in a row prior to that loss.
A lightweight title fight between Tony Ferguson (23-3) and Khabib Nurmagomedov (25-0) is scheduled to headline UFC 223.